


Stone, my world is Stone

by JotunVali



Category: Sonic the Hedgehog (2020)
Genre: Anti-Abortion laws, Based on a Tumblr Post, Boss/Employee Relationship, Domestic Fluff, Emotionally Repressed, Fluff, Forced Pregnancy, Grief/Mourning, M/M, Sharing a Bed, Sleep Deprivation, Stone had a shaky childhood, Stone has sisters, after seeing a beautiful, something that popped, stobotnik fanart
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-12
Updated: 2020-06-19
Packaged: 2021-03-02 03:34:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 11,583
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23618341
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JotunVali/pseuds/JotunVali
Summary: Yes, the title is totally and openly based on Cyndi Lauper's "the World is Stone". If they don't use this song in the sequel, I tell you it'll be a great loss! X)Robotnik is pissed at his machines because they aren't always as reliable and perfect as he would like.Contrary to a certain latte agent.Stone is always here for him, no matter what. Stone knows how to deal with the doctor's problems.Though he won't admit it, Robotnik would like to pay him back and comfort and help his favorite agent in trying times.But how could he deal with other people's emotions and issues when he can't even deal with his own?
Relationships: Dr. Eggman | Dr. Robotnik/Agent Stone
Comments: 18
Kudos: 102





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Hereticality](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hereticality/gifts).



> The story is based on the wonderful, beautiful fanart of hrgwin on tumblr.  
> You can feast your eyes here: https://hrgwin.tumblr.com/post/614971140766646272/blueprint-bluescreen and here https://twitter.com/hrgwin/status/1248422235733286915
> 
> Another thing written in only 3 hours. Such is life. Sometimes we don't write for months, for years, & sometimes we're touched by divine grace and write for hours in a row.

“FUCK!” 

Stone heard something unusual jerking out of Robotnik’s’ mouth. He rushed at his boss’ rescue. He saw Robotnik standing before a giant blue screen, or BSOD. The doctor ragefully punched the console.

“You damn fucking insolent machine! How dare you  _ NOT  _ following my orders??” He barked at the screen and punched again. “How dare you taking control?” Another punch.  _ “I  _ am the boss here!” Another. _ “I _ am supposed to give orders and take control! Not the reverse!!” Another. “Everything in this damn van…!” Another punch. “...should work under  _ MY  _ authority!” Umpteenth punch. “No one or  _ nothing  _ else’s!”

“Sir?” Stone tried to catch his attention despite the fear that spectacle inspired him. After all, it wouldn’t be the first time the doctor punched him.

“How  _ dare  _ you make me feel powerless and fallible? You’re just a… stupid machine!” Robotnik kept on yelling without a care for Stone’s presence. He kicked the console. Then looked at his blueprints laid out on it and furiously crumpled it in his gloved fist.

Fuck that computer! He had to start it all over again! As if he had worked these past seventy-two hours in a row for nothing! That was enough to make him sick forever of machines! Even if they were everything to him.  _ All  _ of his life. Even if  _ he  _ had invented and crafted them.

“Doctor, it’s been three days.” He heard a syrup-soft and concerned voice behind him.

Who  _ DARED  _ to bother him in the middle of his sacred work? What kind of an umpteenth human moron was-?

He felt a gentle grip on his arm, another one on his side.

WHO the fuck dared to touch him in such a bold and intimate way? To touch him at all? Robotnik  _ HATED  _ being touched!

_ Away from me, you stupid, repulsive son of a-!! _

“You should rest, doctor.” The soft voice pleaded near his ear.

Robotnik deeply inhaled, ready to punch that nagger in the face but when he turned to face the enemy he saw the cutest, most precious face he knew. The  _ only  _ he knew. 

“Stone?” He swallowed his upcoming scream and simply breathed. 

Oddly enough, he didn’t mind that much being touched if it was by his closest agent. Figuratively and literally. Stone was almost hugging him. And his face was brushing the doctor’s.

“Please sir. You should have some sleep at least.” His voice was kind and smooth.

“I don’t need sleep, Stone.” The doctor grumbled. “I’m too smart for that.”

Stone softly sighed. Still gently hugging the fulminating scientist from behind.

“Your brain will suffer serious damage if you’re sleep-deprived, sir. You know that. Is that what you want?” He worried.

“Always have the good excuse to justify your uncalled for initiatives, don’t you Stone?” Robotnik belittled the concerned assistant. Though without pushing him back.

“It’s my job.” Stone kindly replied. “I have to make sure you’re ok. I  _ want  _ you to be ok.” He shyly admitted.

“Your job is to watch me, keep me in our good old government’s tracks and stand in for me if I disappear. Taking care of my health or wellbeing like a nicey nanny is not part of your job.” Robotnik reminded him. 

“Maybe I think your health is more important than my job, sir.” The latte assistant implied.

The doctor suddenly and intensely glowered at him.

“Be careful of what say, Stone.” He warned. “I appreciate _ very little _ being made fun of.” He threatened in a feral whisper. “Especially by simple-minded dopeys like you.”

“If caring about you is simple-minded, sir, then I’m the most basic idiot of all.” His latte boy hugged him tighter.

Robotnik felt with irritation a strong skip in his heart. Was it due to the lack of sleep? Lack of hydration? Or to something else?

“You don’t understand, Stone. You never understand anything!” He scolded, though on the verge of tears.

_ You can’t afford being so… sweet and lovable and caring with a job like yours! _

“No, sir. I never understand. I’m unable to grasp, unable to comprehend anything. I’m the worst of imbeciles.” Stone pretended to agree with his boss. If this could calm and soothe his beloved doctor, he would agree with him on any nonsense.

“Yes, you are!” Robotnik wailed, tears already strangling his voice.

Stone kept his hug firm yet soft.

“Then you have to rest, doctor. Rest from my awful and tiresome stupidity.”

Though he would never admit it out loud, Robotnik was scared as fuck what could happened to Stone if the government, or its enemies, discovered he’s the purest, kindest and sweetest assistant ever and that he genuinely cares about the “lab rat with teeth”. Or if they discovered that special care is actually two-sided. Still, he was really happy to have such a cute muffin at his side. Even it was theoretically incompatible with both their respective jobs. He felt happy, blessed, even a bit guilty to have someone like Stone by his side. Even more blissful that Stone cared about him despite all the shit Robotnik put him through. Not just the threats, the punches or the insults, also the lethal danger of each of their mission… If something happened to Stone because of it… No. It would  _ not  _ happen. Stone was smart enough to avoid it. And Stone was here. Here and now. With him. Warm, alive and breathing. Hugging him. Softly whispering kind words. The sleep-deprived scientist had already forgotten about the BSOD. His sweet Stone really was the best to relieve him from his problems and worries. Maybe that was why he had chosen him. Maybe that was why he liked him so much.

Wait. No!

He didn’t  _ like  _ him!

He… he  _ tolerated  _ his presence! It’s different!

Love was for stupid and basic and low human beings!

Like Stone!

Did that mean Stone loved him?

_ Oh, who cares? What does it do to me? Nothing! It doesn’t affect me at all if he loves me or not!  _

“Sir, are you alright? You’re shivering.” Stone noticed with a hint of worry in his warm and tender voice.

Robotnik tried to hold in a new flow of tears.

_ I love you! I love you so much, you sweet, precious latte muffin! _

_ I know I shouldn’t but I do! I know it’s a low, basic emotion, unworthy of a scientist but I love you! Only a latte from you, and I’m on the ninth, hundredth cloud! If only I could tell you, show it to you but I can’t! I just… can’t. _

“Come on, sir… Go to sleep, please.” The latte muffin kindly whispered.

“So be it, Stone…” The smitten scientist surrendered. “If that can make you shut up and leave me in peace, so be it.”

Stone stared at him and adorably smiled in relief and joy. Also, his pretty eyes had to cutely and softly glitter.

_ I bet you  _ know  _ you could kill a man with these eyes, don’t you?  _ Robotnik thought.

“But!” He added to his surprised assistant. “As a punishment for disturbing my work, you’ll have to sleep with me!” He decreed.

“Wh-what?” Stone chuckled as if this was a joke.

“And don’t you question my orders, agent! I should have you to remember your place!”

“But… how is it a punishment?” Stone sincerely asked.

A lot of missiles reached and blew up Robotnik’s heart.

_ Uuuurghh!! STOP being so sweet! For science’s sake!! _

“The discussion is closed, agent. Now follow me, or feel my wrath.” The crimson blushing doctor ordered.

Later, that night, as Stone was softly caressing the messy hair of his sleeping boss, he tried figure out why the doctor “ordered” so often to sleep with him. Did he genuinely considered this as a punishment? As if he thought it could only be awful and terrible to sleep with him? Stone thought on the contrary it felt wonderful and heavenly to have his beloved boss soundly sleeping on his chest, his weary head lulled in the crook of Stone’s neck. Stone took a deep breath. That wasn’t the first time he was sleeping with his boss and it felt as blessing and perfect and blissful as if it  _ was  _ the first time. He glanced at his sleeping doctor. He placed his lips on his wrinkled forehead and tenderly kissed it.

Maybe…

Maybe Robotnik just liked sleeping with his latte assistant.

Or so basic Stone thought.


	2. Chapter 2

“What the robotic hell is wrong with you today, agent?” Robotnik growled at his latte assistant who’d just spilled the hot latte on the doctor’s coat.

“Oh! I-I’m sorry! I’m really sorry, doctor! I-I didn’t-” Stone stuttered in shame.

“You didn’t  _ what _ ?” Robotnik emphasized. “You didn’t count well every sheep before going to bed? You’ve cut yourself while shaving this morning? You heard a birdie chirping at the sun and thought it was cute and lovely so much it’s still blurring and troubling your weak and stupid mind??” He flamed up at the embarrassed agent who was busy picking up the emptied cups and wiping the coffee from the floor and the doctor’s coat. “And don’t you scrape and ruin my superb coat that way! What are you, an idiot? I should recall you I’ve designed it myself and it’s a unique piece! What were you thinking of?? Nothing, I bet!” He furiously growled. “First, you’re late, which is  _ unforgivable _ ! After that, you lose the van keys, it’s your luck I have an extra set and I can change the lock as easily as you brush your teeth! Then you bump and stumble over the stairs and the furniture as if you’ve turned blind, while these are cosmically,  _ highly  _ expensive! Then you disappear like five times when I have orders for you, and now  _ THIS _ ?? What’s happening exactly into your small, full of hot air head, Stone? Mutiny?? If it’s that so, Stone, I  _ assure  _ you you can tell me that out loud! I’d be very happy, it would be my utmost bliss and pleasure to replace you with someone more loyal and more competent!!” He barked like an enraged dog.

Despite it all, he didn’t expect Stone’s reaction. 

His adorable latte boy burst into big, heavy tears. Thick, round, drip-dropping tears. 

But Stone never cried when the doctor yelled at him! On the contrary, he always beamed like a sun and even giggled sometimes! Why? Why was he crying only now? Maybe… maybe Robotnik had pushed it too far this time. He didn’t want to hurt his sweet muffin! He didn’t want to make him cry! He didn’t…

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry, sir… I shouldn't…” Stone tried to wipe his tears away. “I shouldn’t overreact like this. Not in front of you. I-I’m sorry.”

_ No! _

**I** _ am sorry, you little… cutie!  _

“What does that mean ‘in front of me’?” Robotnik kept his scornful tone.

“It’s nothing. It’s… a trifle. I shouldn’t... bring my own issues in here. At home, my problems. Here, my work. As you… as you always say, sir.” Stone joylessly smirked.

_ No!  _

_ Though it feels the weirdest to me, I  _ want  _ to know about your problems!  _

_ I  _ want  _ to know more about you! _

_ I  _ want  _ to know if I can help you! _

_ Even if I have no possible idea how I could help! Cause I’ve never helped anyone before. _

“You’ve already brought your problems in here, Stone.” Robotnik accused his latte assistant. “Which means problems for me too. So if you don’t  _ expressly  _ tell me what the deepest pit of  _ hell  _ is wrong with you, you’ll just cause more problems and maybe break something. And I tell you, agent, I  _ won’t  _ have that. So you teach me the cause of your awful, terrible,  _ deplorable  _ behavior of today, or I’ll find a more competent and more professional assistant. Your choice.” He threatened Stone.

He didn’t mean it at all.

He would NEVER,  _ EVER  _ fire or replace Stone for all of the gold, machines of the world or even for world conquest!

But it was the only trick Robotnik had figured out to make his sweet and cute assistant talk.

“I… I…” Stone frightfully stammered as he was blinking his gleaming tears away.

“I have all the time in the world, Stone.” Robotnik waited.

“Sir, I… but… it has nothing to do with you!” Stone assured.

“Should I feel relieved or offended about that? Go on, please.”

“But… you can’t… no one can solve my problem, sir!”

“Surprise me.”

“Doctor, I have the grandest and deepest respect for you, and I’m sure you can solve a lot of problems humanity still didn’t even started to think about…”

“ _ But _ ?” Robotnik cut him off. “Are you implying there are some problems even the cleverest mind on Earth can’t resolve? I don’t like that tone, Stone.”

“B-but…”

“No buts!! Answers!! NOW!!” The doctor screamed.

“My mother just died, sir!!” Stone yelled, then burst and sobbed even more.

Stone, sweet Stone, precious Stone, adorable Stone, sobbed, cried, wept, whined. So much he felt forced to cover his tearful face from the doctor’s sight.

Oh shit.

That was the worst kind of problem to deal with.

A problem no one expected to face and yet a problem everyone would  _ have  _ to face one day.

Except people born orphaned like Robotnik.

Ugh.

His beautiful, adorable, sweet Stone was sobbing his heart out in front of him.

Because he’d lost his mother. 

That made already  _ two  _ problems the doctor didn’t know how to deal with.

He wished, he  _ craved  _ to help Stone, tell him it was ok but…

He didn’t even understand how it felt to lose a parent, so how could he claim to Stone he could help him?

Robotnik regretted to harass his precious latte boy with his questions and fake threats.

Now Stone was crying, sobbing… partly because of him.

And he was unable to help or soothe him.

Couldn’t help because he never had parents.

Couldn’t soothe because he wasn’t the nice and compassionate and emotional type.

_ Stone  _ was like that. With him.

But the reverse was impossible.

No matter how much, how sincerely and passionately the doctor wanted to help and hug him!

What now? Was he going to let his precious, innocent muffin cry and suffer? And go back to his own work as if there was nothing?

As if Robotnik didn’t stir enough trouble, didn’t felt already, massively, painfully guilty for threatening and bellowing at an upset and suffering Stone.

_ Fucking stupid, dragging, useless emotions! _ The doctor internally cursed.

“Cut the drama show, Stone. It’s perfectly normal and natural that parents die. Your mother, mine, you, our dear members of the government... everyone, every organic life must die in the end. That’s the simplest and most efficient work of nature. Only a retarded mind would forget it and be surprised or upset when it happens. If you don’t want to die then become a machine.”

“I… I guess so, but… but… I loved her. I loved my mother very much! I’ll… I’ll miss her.” Stone lamented.

“Who do think you are, Stone?” Robotnik was strangely piqued.

“Wh-what?” The latte assistant squeaked.

“How freaking  _ dare  _ you to bring about you “I’ll miss my mum” bullshit in front of me? How  _ dare  _ you complain??” He raged.

Stone didn’t know what to reply. He was completely lost and alarmed. And scared. What had he say that was so wrong? He blinked and faintly shook his head in pure confusion.

“ _ You _ had a mother!  _ You  _ had the chance and luck to be raised by a loving and  _ living  _ mother! And yet you have the nerve to whine and complain??” He screamed at Stone’s shaking and covered in tears face.

“I-I… I’m sorry, sir! I-I’m sorry! I… I shouldn’t have told you that. I’m truly sorry!” Stone cried and begged.

Robotnik’s heart exploded again and again. With guilt. With misery. With self-loathing. With pure love and adoration for the most innocent and sweetest man ever!

_ HE  _ should say sorry!

_ HE  _ was the asshole to blame here!

Not Stone!

Stone was the sweetest, kindest, most pure-hearted man ever!

Stone had absolutely NOTHING to be sorry for!

Contrary to a certain irascible, arrogant, cruel and emotionally repressed doctor! 

“Are you… are you gonna fire me, sir?” Stone wailed in sheer fright.

No.. did he-?

Did he actually believe Robotnik’s empty words?

Stone got a faint hiccup.

Another heart explosion for the doctor.

“I would… I would understand, sir…” The sweetest embodiment of purity and innocence wept.

That’s it.

No time for thinking or intelligence anymore.

For the first time of his life, Robotnik had no thought of any type sliding through his mind. He just sprang out of his chair and hugged his cute latte assistant the tightest he could.


	3. Chapter 3

“S-sir?” Stone yelped in surprise.

Doctor Robotnik was hugging him? In a really strong and tight way with that! Was he trying to kill him by slowly crushing his bones? But the physical pain never came. Just the mental pain. He was devastated by the death of his dear mother and scared to... well, death, his boss may fire or even kill him! He also felt awfully, horribly guilty for being so little attentive and so neglecting, for disappointing the doctor so miserably. What a moron he was. Causing so much trouble and problems and evitable danger just because he’d lost his mother, like most of people do! Mother issues or not, it was his duty to remain in control and vigilant and selfless! His personal problems shouldn’t encroach on his work! His personal problems mattered less, didn’t matter at  _ all  _ compared to his work! What’s more he had to remind Robotnik of his orphan origins! 

_ Aban, you insensitive dick!  _

His beloved boss was right: no one was immortal, not even his mother, and  _ he  _ had the luck to have a present and living mother… so he wasn’t entitled to complain. How could he ever have bothered and troubled the doctor with his selfish and trivial problems? He was unforgivable! He really deserved to be fired! 

He heard a heavy and husky breath near his ear. Like a worn off horse who’d just had run a race.

“Stop it. Stop it…” A low whisper pleaded.

“Sir?” Stone asked.

“Stop it. Stop crying… please…” The whisper carried on.

The grieving agent was abashed. By the imploring tone of that voice? By the “please”? The “stop crying”? The hug? The owner of this voice and these arms? Since when a boss angry at you behaved like that? But then, Robotnik wasn’t a normal boss. Stone didn’t understand the situation but he gladly dealt with it. He let it all out. he screamed his pain, his fear and his tears out over Robotnik’s shoulder. 

“I’m sorry…” He sobbed. “I’m so sorry, sir…” He hugged back the doctor.

“Shut up. It’s ok…” His boss weirdly replied.

No! It was  _ NOT  _ ok!

It was not ok at all!

His mother had died, he had messed up it all, he hadn’t paid attention or given any care for his work and beloved boss today, been the cruelest dick with him, now his boss was going to sack or worse, hate him forever! 

It was NOT ok at all! 

Stone shook and rubbed his face off on Robotnik’s coat, soaking and staining it. But the doctor didn’t seem to care this time.

Ugh. When Robotnik had problems, Stone relieved and soothed him.

But when Stone had problems, Robotnik only could bash, abuse and guilt-trap him. Even if it wasn’t at all how he intended to behave. It was like an automatism. Like a… ugh. Like a machine.

Stone was in tears but the doctor felt like crying too. Felt alarmed. Helpless. Maybe -maybe!- he was as terrified and confused as his cute assistant; if not more. For the stupid and lame reason a man was sobbing on his shoulder and he just didn’t know how to react to it! Him! The great and omniscient and omnipotent doctor Robotnik! He knew how to solve equations with a hundred unknowns, invent and program any kind of mind-blowing and human-superior machine, efficiently track an alien without being tracked, fly in the sky, create a spaceship out of leafs and mushrooms… but did not know how to deal with people’s emotions. Let alone his own. Truth was… he was scared. Terrified. Precious Stone was sad and scared partly because of him and it killed him inside. On top of that, he was reluctant to show kindness or just basic pity to him because it just wasn’t his style, he didn’t  _ work  _ that way and because it wouldn’t be logic to switch behaviors from acrid and angry to soft and caring like a serious case of bipolar disorder. Stone would think Robotnik had turned crazy! But… but… Stone was crying so much, he sounded so desperate and miserable! Robotnik couldn’t stay here and just wait for it to pass! He had to do something! Something to relieve Stone’s pain! But what kind of thing?? But maybe Stone didn’t want help! Maybe Stone would get mad at him! Maybe Stone would get scared! Because Robotnik usually never did these sort of things! Maybe…

The doctor bit his lip. Too many emotions! Too many fears! Too many questions! The tears were dwelling up. What should he do? What should he do?? Stone was always here for him! He should be here for Stone! But what to do? How to behave? What to say? What  _ not  _ to say or not do?? 

_ Well,  _ not  _ throwing your orphan issues in his face when his mother died would be a good start. _

“Please stop…” A first tear rolled down.

_ Not threatening him with firing for another example. _

_ Not barking and yelling at him like a demented army major when you’re worried about him or when he’s already dealing with a dreadful pain inside! _

_ My sweet,  _ sweet  _ Stone. _ He hugged him tighter.

“Please stop crying…” He murmured.

Stone didn’t seem to hear him. Though his ear was one inch away from the doctor’s mouth.

“It’s ok. It’s ok…” He added in a feeble mumble. “Won’t fire you… it’s ok.” 

Barely noticing it, he started to softly caress Stone’s neck.

The latte assistant faintly gasped. And blushed. What was that cold and thick and yet so smooth and warming sensation? Like something, or someone, was… gently rubbing the back of his neck? Someone…  _ the doctor _ was tenderly stroking his neck? Stone didn’t dare to turn his head or ask his boss for confirmation. Maybe he would change his mind and push him away. Stone didn’t want that. He felt good in these arms. Even if their owner was a bit scary. Maybe they would never hug him again so he was going to enjoy them the longest he could. And that caress on his neck was so… soft, so gentle, tender, so delightful. Could it be… the doctor wasn’t so mad at him after all? Maybe he would give Stone a second chance?

Rage and irritation had taken their leaves to a faraway destination. Far from Robotnik. They had been replaced with an oppressing guilt and heavy regrets. He craved to say ‘sorry’ so much! To say he hadn’t meant at all his stupid threats, that he wasn’t mad at all at cutie Stone but  _ enraged  _ at himself for making his sweet latte muffin cry and suffer, that Stone was his world, his beaming and dazzling ray of light, the lump of sweet sugar in the pitch black bitter coffee of his existence! Actually, Stone didn’t just make lattes, he  _ was  _ a latte! Smooth, sweet, warm, soothing… perfect. Robotnik craved to tell Stone he hadn’t done anything wrong and it just was the doctor’s guilty pleasure -and sadistic habit- to search for any reason, even the pettiest and most trivial, to rage up and get mad at someone. And until now, Stone seemed not to care much about it, even sometimes muffled a precious giggle. 

_ I’m sorry! I’m sorry!! Please calm down! Stop crying! I don’t know what to do...  _

A second tear rolled down the doctor’s tense face.

_ I’m the worst. I love you and yet I hurt you. But I don’t know how to act differently! I don’t know. I don’t know no shit! I don’t want to hurt you. I’m sorry... _

Robotnik was so lost and smothered in his emotions he didn’t notice immediately Stone’s sobs had softened down. 

_ Please stop cry-? He… he stopped? _

Stone’s cries and quivers had faded yet he kept clinging like a koala to the doctor. His head was softly resting on Robotnik’s shoulder. He was gently, slowly breathing, calming the hiccups and sniffles little by little. He never realized the doctor’s shoulder could be so comfortable. He closed his eyes. He smiled. Maybe the doctor was still mad at him, maybe he would fire him, but at least his last moments with him were the sweetest, most beautiful dream Stone could have hoped for: the arms of his boss firm around his waist and the shoulder softly supporting his aching head. And that smooth gloved hand still tenderly stroking his neck. Stone smiled larger. 

_ I always knew you weren’t that cold, doctor.  _


	4. Chapter 4

_ My wonderful, extraordinary doctor. I wish I knew your first name.  _ Stone daydreamed despite the dread and fear of being fired or rejected by Robotnik. Despite the sorrow and grief for the death of his mother. 

_ What am I going to do without my mom?  _

_ Without my job? _

_ Without my amazing doctor? _

_ But how could he keep me after my fiasco of today? _

Despite the dire exhaustion induced by these draining and consuming emotions, the lack of sleep, lack of eating and the several concussions on his body (due to his stupid bumps into furniture), he was feeling...ok. Like he could die, or at least pass out in his doctor’s arms. Under this soft caress on his neck.

_ What? He really stopped sobbing?  _ Robotnik wondered and finally noticed his self-moving hand on the neck of his latte assistant.  _ What the fuck??  _ He immediately took it back. He blushed. A burning hot blushing.  _ Shit, shit, shit!! Did he notice?? Of course he did! Or maybe he didn’t? Shit, what was I thinking?? Well the most important is he has stopped to cry, right? _

Stone dreadfully felt, or rather stopped to feel, the tender hand on his neck.

That’s it.

The doctor had enough of comforting a useless, incompetent and disposable agent. The doctor had enough of him! Now he was going to scream into his face “You’re fired! I don’t want to see your stupid mug ever again!”. With or without screaming, it would sound as painful and atrocious to Stone.

_ No! No, no, no!! Don’t fire me, please! Don’t hate me! I’ll make up for my mistakes! I’ll be more obedient! I’ll do everything you say! Please!! Please!! _

“Please…” Stone moaned, a tear dripping on Robotnik’s nastily stained coat.

_ Oh no! Now I’ve ruined his perfect and unique coat!!  _ He realized, aghast. _ Good job, Aban! Brilliant, remarkable job!! You really had done it  _ all  _ today!! You’re such a clumsy, absent-minded… idiot!! _

“Please?” Robotnik squinted. “What do you mean ‘please’, Sto-?” He was about to ask before his assistant suddenly crumbled down. “Wow! Stone, what are you doing?” He caught him in time. 

_ Did he trip over something? _

He stared at Stone. Apart from his heart-smashing, covered in tears face, swollen reddish eyes, Robotnik also noticed they were closed. Stone had passed out? Why? How? When? Had he… passed away? No! Impossible!! Unless it was a case of aneurysm rupture, an infarction or something like that. 

_ No. No, Stone is too strong to get things like that! Is he not? _

“Stone?” He caressed his latte muffin’s wet face.

_ Open your eyes! Please! _

_ Well, he had quite the amount of stressful and frightful emotions today, didn’t he? No mention of your worsening of it. An empilement of violent emotions no normal human being could endure in such a short period of time. _

_ No! No!! What have I done??  _ Robotnik freaked out.  _ To bed. Yes, that’s it! He needs to lay down! _ He got the epiphany.

Although he wasn’t the strapping sturdy type, he carried his precious assistant in his arms to the van’s bed, completely oblivious of the fact he could make his robots do that job.

* * *

That was it.

Robotnik huffed out in relief.

That just was a burn-out. A serious one, yes. But Stone wasn’t dying.

_ And here I thought I had lost you. Which would be stupid and irrelevant. You’re not really ‘mine’. You’re not my property. Oh Stone, you deserve a better job and above all a better boss than me. Why do you stay? _

Robotnik mentally soliloquized as he was gently stroking Stone’s cheek. With a bare, gloveless hand. The warmth of Stone’s skin against the doctor’s palm felt weird, new. Robotnik had scarcely touched anyone before. Except maybe in fights but most of time, he employed robots for that. Stone’s cheek felt warm and smooth. The doctor liked it. 

The breathing of his assistant had came back and stabilized. That was good news. Now the sleeping-beauty-focused scientist just had to wait for him to wake up. And when he would, Robotnik would give him a day or maybe a week off. Maybe more, he didn’t quite know how the mourning thing worked. In fact, he didn’t know it at all. Either way, that was what Stone needed at the very least: rest. And being left in peace. Robotnik stayed at his side, staring at that cute sleeping face for hours, totally forgetting about his work. 

_ That’s right. I still have work to do. I  _ always  _ have work to do! But strangely, I don’t give a fuck about it today. I want to stay with him. Make sure he’s alright. Make sure he’s healthy and happy. I just hope he didn’t tell anyone else about his mommy’s issues. The gov’s sharks would be quick to sack him off. Or worse… They don’t like much sentimental secret agents. I don’t like them either. That’s why I’ve always surrounded myself with feeling-less, relentless, emotionless machines. Cause human beings are slaves for their emotions and feelings and so never think, never obey and do stupid things. But him, that specific human, emotional, stupid agent… I still like him. Why? He’s like everybody else, he has nothing special, no particular trait. Yet, I like, I LOVE his lattes, his smile, his sparkling eyes, his voice… his gentleness, his patience, his kindness, his care, his bearing up with an irascible, arrogant asshole like me, his… adorableness! _

Some lump blocked the doctor’s throat. He sniffled.

_ Fuck it! I loath emotions yet I still feel them! I still… love you, Stone. Shit, why have I never asked you your first name? I bet it’s the sweetest, most beautiful name ever! _

As Robotnik was swiftly wiping away his barely forming tears and trying not to sniffle too loud, Stone fluttered his eyes open. He was feeling dizzy, so heavy, so… weak. Wait. This was the van’s bedroom. He was… on his boss’ bed? He looked around, in search of his boss. He was here. Sitting just next to him. Stone blushed. The doctor was… watching over him? Looking after him? Did he… did he princess carry the dizzy agent to here? No. No, that was ridiculous. Robotnik would never do that. He surely made his robots do that job. But that didn’t change things much. The doctor had taken,  _ was  _ taking care of Stone. He…  _ cared  _ about him. Doctor Robotnik did care about him! Despite Stone’s mess of today and of the days before. Despite Robotnik’s supposed hatred for humans. His wonderful doctor did care about him... Stone faintly smiled. His heart warmed up.

_ My cute little tsundere doctor. _ He thought before falling back to sleep. 


	5. Chapter 5

Robotnik ended up going back to his machineries, he wouldn’t stay sitting and inactive after all. Even if Stone’s adorable sleeping face was worth it… He shook that thought away. 

_ Quit a bit! Stay a minimum focused or you’ll mess up your work just like him today! Not as if I had the same reasons… I’m not mourning anyone, I’m not sad. Just… I just wonder if he feels better now. If he has woken up. _

He glanced at the holographic clock: 3 a.m. He sighed. He remembered the last time Stone pleaded him to go to sleep earlier. His precious latte assistant had tenderly hugged from behind. And Robotnik hadn’t minded it at all. He even had… enjoyed it. Somehow, he was hoping Stone was going to come from behind and hug him the exact same way. But this time, Robotnik wouldn’t scold him away, wouldn’t push him back. He would fully welcome it, enjoy the tingling, warm, fuzzy feeling, maybe stroke Stone’s hair and softly kiss his delicious smooth cheek. Then he reopened his eyes and remembered Stone was not here but in the bedroom. The fantasizing scientist huffed out in disappointment. He too should go to bed anyway. But at the doorstep of the bedroom, he instantly recalled there was only one bed! What should he do? Wake up Stone, tell him to leave and go back home? That’d be the only and most pragmatic solution. But that was out of question! For once, the doctor cared about disturbing his favorite agent. But it wasn’t like he wanted to sleep on the floor either. He lowly grumbled. He had to share his bed with Stone then. He silently opened the door and closed it. Stone was still profoundly and peacefully asleep. 

Why did Robotnik never think about putting two beds in here? Well, first cause Stone usually slept at his own home, and when he was here at night, he would switch places with Robotnik. And there were some other…  _ blessed  _ times, when the doctor was fakely mad at Stone and used that excuse to sleep with him as a “punishment”. He smiled at that. But now it was different. Stone was already sleeping, so he couldn’t “warn” him. Either way, he didn’t want to be a dick with his precious muffin today. Both were too tired for that. But what would Stone think if he woke up and saw the doctor by his side? Oh, who cares? Robotnik was the boss here, wasn’t he? If he wanted to sleep in a bed Stone occupied, he was going to do so and no one was going to question his decision! Luckily, the bed was large enough for Robotnik to lay down far enough from Stone, with his back turned, not to disturb him. Why was it so large yet? Due to the doctor’s megalomania and mild narcissism? Or because he kept moving and rolling while sleeping? Or…? He blushed. Or because he secretly hoped to share it with Stone one day? Maybe every day. Every night… So sweet nights...

Robotnik’s start of a beautiful dream was cut off by a pair of arms slowly embracing him from behind.

_ What?? What the hell? He’s awake?  _ He sharply flinched as if he was being crushed by a giant snake. But it was no snake, it was Stone. Inoffensive, sweet, tender Stone. He would never hurt the doctor. Even if that was his most basic right…

“Doctor… Doctor, you’re here…” The sleepy agent lovingly murmured.

Robotnik froze; as if he was physically frozen in ice. Shit, what should he reply??

_ Of course I am, this is  _ my  _ bed, you klutz? _

_ Away from me, you disgusting narcoleptic leech? _

“I’m sorry…” Stone mumbled in a heartsmashing tone.

The puzzled doctor realized his sweet assistant was weeping.

“I still feel… sad… about my mom…”

Robotnik remained silent.

“I’m sorry I… have no control over my emotions…”

_ Cause you think I have control over mine?? _

“I know you consider them as pointless… and flaws… and defects… but…” Stone hugged the deeply confused doctor tighter from behind. He poorly tried to hold back and muffle his sobs against the doctor’s stiff back.

_ No. No, don’t cry! I  _ forbid  _ you to cry! If you keep on, I too will-!  _ Robotnik refrained his tears in time. Then did something he never thought he’d do. He rolled back to face his latte assistant. To see the eyes of the latter were closed. Stone was talking in his sleep. Stone thought he was dreaming. This fact lifted up a crushing, heavy burden off Robotnik’s shoulders. Now, maybe just now, he could convey his true feelings for his cute assistant. Just tonight. Maybe this occasion would never occur again. Even if Stone’s overflowing emotions and the likeliness of him waking up scared the scientist to death. What should he do first? Hug him? That sounded like an appropriate idea. And that was what Robotnik’s genius brain screamed to do. He indecisively, feverishly slipped his arms around Stone’s shoulders, as if these were an atomic bomb about to explode. 

“Doctor?” The sleeping agent timidly asked.

Robotnik didn’t answer and firmly hugged this trembling, warm, and yet not that irksome body. Stone softly gasped.

“Are you… is this a… hug, sir?”

“......yes. Yes it is, Stone.” Robotnik confirmed it more to himself, to realize that, yes, he was hugging another human being, of his own free will! Something he thought he’d never do in his life.

“Doctor…” Stone sniffled and started to cry again. “I’m sorry, sir... I can’t help it.” He whimpered.

“It’s alright, Stone.” The doctor squeezed his assistant’s body tight despite his brain roaring to throw Stone and his bothersome, disgusting, emotional issues away. “Tonight, I exceptionally allow you to be stupidly and repulsively emotional.” He murmured in the delighted ear of his weeping assistant who thought he was dreaming. Because of course real doctor Robotnik would  _ never  _ ever hug or touch him or talk to him in an affectionate way in real life. 

“Th-thank you…” Stone whined. “I… I can’t be alone… not tonight… I-I’m sorry… to be such a clumsy, emotional burden, sir… it… it will never happen again…” He swore with tears in his soft voice.

“Of course, Stone.” The heart-warmed scientist kindly agreed. “All humans have their bad days, don’t they? You know… even I, I have a few days… I can’t do things properly.”

“You, sir?” Stone smiled at last and softly giggled.

“Yes me, Stone.” Robotnik began to gently stroke the hair of his assistant. Gosh, it felt so good and so liberating to be just kind and genuine with his beloved latte angel. Even if Stone would dash away in fear if he was awake.

“Are you… are you still going to… fire me, sir?” Stone feared.

“Never, Stone.” The tired doctor firmly whispered. “ _ Never _ in this lifetime. Not for any amount of money or reconnaissance in this or any other universe.”

Stone chuckled despite his grief. He definitely was dreaming. The real Robotnik would never talk to him in such a tender and honey-sweet way. Just as the real doctor would never be so cuddly and gentle, stroking the agent’s hair. Stone almost wished he’d never wake up and stay in that wonderful dream forever. Waking up in a world where his mother was dead and his beloved boss hating and sacking him would be unbearable. He just wished it’d last long. Really long. 

“Then,... your staff really must be downsized… if you need me that much, sir.” He tried to joke.

“Listen well, Stone. I would never,  _ ever  _ replace you with anyone, not even with a more competent or more efficient or more resourceful agent!”

“B-but earlier you said-” The confused agent stammered.

“Fuck what I said, Stone. You may be the sappiest, clumsiest, silliest, most retarded agent I’ve ever met, but as weird as it may sound to you and me you’re the only one I trust… and the only one I like.” Robotnik admitted, a bit embarrassed.

“You… you like me?” The sleeping cutie gave one of his most adorable smiles ever.

“Do you think I’d lie about such a disgraceful and shameful fact, Stone?” Robotnik grouched.

As an answer, Stone wholeheartedly hugged him.

“Why? Why do you have… to say this only now?” Stone whined and trembled. “I-I should feel happy to hear this...yet, it’s like I almost don’t care!” He lamented, bitter tears running on his face.

What did that mean? Wait. Stone  _ loved  _ Robotnik?


	6. Chapter 6

“I’m too sad about my mom… to feel happy that you like me back.” Stone regretfully sobbed on the doctor’s shoulder. “I’m sorry…”

Stone… He  _ loved  _ him? This whole time? And the great and powerful and clever doctor Robotnik had suspected nothing, had  _ seen  _ nothing??

“I’m sorry…” His heartbroken assistant whined.

And the great and powerful Robotnik had to wait for his precious Stone to cry buckets, be in pain and mourn his dead mother to confess his actually reciprocated feelings?

_ Ivo, you… stupid moron. _

“You can stop saying sorry for today, Stone. And maybe… maybe for tomorrow too.” He hesitantly yet gently stroked his sweet agent’s back. “I’m in a… quite good mood tonight.” He monstrously lied in a whisper. His current mood was terrible. Agonizable. His adorable, sugar-sweet Stone was sad, feeling down in the deepest gutter of the mind and Robotnik couldn’t do anything to relieve him! Despite his off-the-record intelligence he hadn’t the slightest clue about what to do to make him feel better! Well, it was the first time in 60 years of living he genuinely wanted to help someone, to make someone smile. With no gain, no reward in return. He simply and sincerely just wanted to make Stone feel better. He wanted to pay his loving agent back for all the countless times he had taken good care of the doctor, all the times Stone had soothed him, made him feel better. It was new. So obviously he didn’t know what to do.

“Thank you, doctor…” Stone gently squirmed and snuggled against the confused scientist’s body and hugged him tighter. “Thank you.” He breathed.

His doctor was so nice, so kind in that dream. Though he wasn’t used to that, Stone liked it. Real Robotnik would never be so nice and tender with him, so he could enjoy it fully, right? 

“I wasn’t often there for my mum, you know.” He admitted to a puzzled Robotnik. “She did everything she could so I and my sisters have a proper education. She always looked exhausted. And never really had time or strength to talk with us or… or be patient with us.” He smirked with amusement. “That was understandable. Especially when we loved to disregard her advice and warnings. When most of her children were stubborn, heedless, self-centered little monsters.” He giggled.

“Most, huh? I bet  _ you  _ were the good, obedient one.” Robotnik assumed.

“Oh no, I was the worst of them, sir!” Stone chuckled.

“Reeeally?”

“I loved to disobey, never give a fuck about her advice just to feel like a rebel, you know? If I never listened to my mother, that had to mean I was a free and wise person, right?” He smiled. 

“So you  _ always  _ were stupid, Stone.” Robotnik deducted.

“Oh my mom repeated that word so many times! Especially at me! ‘What wrong have I done to have such a stupid son?’, ‘Aban, what you’ve just done is utterly stupid!’, ‘If you knew that was stupid, why did you do it anyway?’... But she was right. Most of my… little adventures as a teenager… I’ve done them only to piss her, or any authority figure, off. To make her understand I was ‘my own person’. Even if I knew deep down what I was doing was stupid and dangerous. Sometimes I didn’t even realize it cause I was too busy thinking how it was going to make her mad.” He sighed. “If she hadn’t been there, I’d probably be dead for long now. I’ve hurt her so many times on purpose… but she was always there to save me. To help me. Even when I didn’t want her help. Most of time.” He sighed and started to weep again. “Sons, children can be so insensitive, so inattentive to other people, even their own parents… I never wanted to hurt her, I just… never thought.” He sniffled. “I never thought.”

_ I never wanted to hurt you, Stone. _ The doctor thought, tightening his grip on his dear agent’s body.  _ Even if  _ I’m  _ the last person… not to think. I wonder if that’s not worse. _

“Did you… did you get to see her before…?” He tried.

“Of course I did! That was the least thing I could do!” Stone cried out.

“Was she… happy to see you?”

“She was beaming, sir. I had never saw her like that.” Stone answered, beaming himself.

_ Maybe she was because she was glad to finally leaving that hell of a cesspool we call Earth. _ Robotnik refrained from suggesting.

“She told me… she loved me. And she had never resented me for all my mistakes, all my… misconduct. While many other people would have shot me dead for what I did. She was happy to see me and my sisters. Well, those who could come.”

“They weren’t… in good terms with your mom?” Robotnik dared to ask.

“Oh, no. One is in the army and two died before my mother, sir.”


	7. Chapter 7

_Wh-what?? But that’s horrible! What kind of childhood did you have, Stone??_

“I’m… I’m sorry, Stone.” Robotnik muttered.

“No, it wasn’t your fault, sir.”

 _How do you know? Maybe_ I _killed your sisters and none of us know it!_

“What happened to them?” The doctor asked.

Stone sighed.

“B-but if you don’t want to talk about it-”

“No, it’s.. fine. Doctor. Actually, I’m glad you question me so much about me and my life. You’ve never done it before. Not that you had to. But… I appreciate it. My elder sister, Roksana, she died a few years ago at 38 because of a rare disease I forgot the name of and my younger sister, Noor. She died at 12. Because of his so-called boyfriend. One day, he kidnapped her. He let her go 4 months later when he realized he had impregnated her. He had raped her, doctor. _Raped_ her! With no protection of course! Cause who needs condoms? Only 12 and she already was pregnant!”

“She didn’t want to abort?”

“Oh no, sir. It’s people around her and that fucking machist “children-protecting” society that didn’t want her to! She’d been raped, sequestrated, she was scarred for life and she had lost all rights to decide what to do with her own body and her own life! At 12 years old, for God’s sake!” Stone burst into rageful tears. 

_Shit. I shouldn’t have… Why did I have to question him about his dead sisters right after his dead mother? Brilliant job, Ivo Robotnik! Really a marvelous, brilliant job!_

“At 12 years old, she didn’t have the right to dream or to live anymore! Apparently, as soon as a girl gets pregnant, not matter her age, she’s not a child or even a human being anymore. Everytime we tried to walk her to the clinic, we could see from afar a bunch of psychos calling ‘murderers’ or ‘demons’ women and girls as young, even _younger_ than Noor, who just wanted to live! Wasn’t it enough to be raped? To get the STDs of the bastard who raped her? To get traumatized for the rest of her fucking life? She also had to be called a fucking ‘murderer’ because she just was a child who _just_ wanted to live?? Who the… _Hell_ are these bastards who never got raped, who never got or can never get pregnant think they are?? Calling ‘murderers’ and guilt-trapping fucking CHILDREN that way?? What Noor had in her womb was a ‘child’ but **_she_ **was NOT ?? Maybe underage girls never counted as actual children for them? Fuckers!” Stone spitefully spat. “Crazy, fucking motherfuckers!” He cursed. 

Robotnik lowly grumbled.

“Oh, I’m… I’m sorry, sir. You… you didn’t have to hear that. That’s not… not of your concern. Neither your fault.”

“What did I say about _not_ saying sorry, agent? Either way… _I_ should be the one to say sorry, actually.” The doctor sighed. “I didn’t want… I didn’t mean to… remind you your worst memories.”

“It’s alright, sir. I would’ve remembered it after my mother’s death anyway. Sooner or later. I’d rather do it sooner.”

“So… the abortion… didn’t go well?”

“No, it didn’t go at all! She was too scared of these ‘God’s faithful’ jerks, a ban on abortion passed a few days later in our State and we couldn’t afford to go to a farther clinic. We tried to look for a… backstreet abortionist but… too hazardous. Neither we or our friends knew any either way. So... Noor had to… deliver a few days before her 13th birthday. And she wasn’t the… tough type, you see. I was 17. I can never forget her screams ripping off my ears for hours. Or my mother roaring at me and my other sisters to get out of the house. She, me, my sisters Zareen, Aliyah and Naima, calling every medic, every hospital of the area to come here but only one managed, or rather _willed_ , to come and… well, she just had the time to confirm my sister’s death.” 

“I’m really sorry, Stone.” Robotnik softly whispered. He truly felt bad and sorry.

“What’s more that bitch had the nerve to tell us ‘Oh, it’s not all bad, look! Her baby is living! All good things need sacrifices, don’t they? It was her fate, it’s God’s will, a dead mother is better than a mother who kills her own baby’ and all the bigoted, sexist, dark-aged trash that had killed my sister Noor in the first place! I think I’ve never loved my mother more than that day! She punched the medic in her stupid face at least 20 times and called her all the worst curses that exist in the Arabic language! I think she even made up some!”

 _“My daughter was a child too, you stupid, motherfucking, brain-dead, hellish, uptight bitch!! My daughter was a child and she was raped!! Do you understand,_ **raped** _!! And our heartless, machist, blindfolded hypocrites of lawmakers_ **_killed_ ** _her!! They’ve killed her and_ **she** _was the murderer?? Shut up! Shut the fuck up!! They’ve killed her!! Your friends, who’re supposed to help us, to save us, let her die!! They’ve killed her too!! All of you killed her and you DARE, in front of my face, calling_ **HER** _a ‘murderer’?? Never call my dead child ‘ a murderer’ before me!! NEVER! Or_ **I’** _ll be the killer!! Do you get it?_ **I** _will kill_ **you** _!! Now fuck off and don’t you dare extorting my money, you slut of the Devil!!”_

“Hmm. I think I would have loved to meet your mother, Stone.” Robotnik smiled.

“My mom never liked people who stood up to her. You two would have stirred up a storm.” Stone giggled.

“Are you saying your mom was me without the moustache?”

“Almost, doctor. Almost.” Stone joked.

“Interesting. What was her name?”

“Malika, sir. Malika.”

“A true queen, then.”

“Yes, doctor. A true one.” Stone smiled.

“And… what happened to… Noor’s baby?”

“Oh. He died a few weeks later. Too weak condition. Not surprising coming from a… a frail, underage girl’s body. Our faithful to the Lord, bigoted lawmakers are so convinced they save human lives with their feminicidal laws yet they kill two lives for the price of one. But of course they don’t see girls’ lives, especially if they’re pregnant, as actual human lives. In the end, they kill more than any incarcerated killer. No mention of the free-pass to rape girls or abandon your unwilling to be pregnant girlfriend. I hate them. They’re the true, the worst killers in the world and they're free to roam and walk, live their life and pass repulsive bills, and they call people they don’t know and won’t hear or understand, the most desperate, most distressed, most abandoned and most precarious people ever, these fuckers dare to call _THEM_ ‘murderers’ and ‘child killers’ even when these so-called murderers _are_ children too. But again they don’t see pregnant girls, even underage, are actual children. I hate them, sir. I hate them so much.”

“I know the feeling, Stone.” Robotnik asserted, gently patting his assistant’s shoulder. He didn’t expect sweet, heart-warming and lovable Stone to hold so much hate and resent inside of him.

“What I can’t understand is there are _women_ amongst these bigoted fuckers. In lawmaking as much as in hate-shrieking in the street.”

“Who said bigotry, hate and intolerance was men’s specialty, Stone?”

Stone wearily, heavily sighed.

“Such a long way to come, isn’t it?” He complained.

“I’m afraid so.” The doctor kindly whispered.

“And you're already standing at the end of it, I bet?” Stone grinned.


	8. Chapter 8

“Obviously I am.” Robotnik asserted.

“And where  _ am  _ I?”

“On your way, Stone. On your way. But your feet are steady and fast.”

“It’s the first time you say so many nice things to me, sir.” Stone chuckled.

“I don’t remember doing such a preposterous thing, Stone.” The doctor grumbled. And blushed.

“You don’t remember a lot of things lately, doctor.” Stone purred. “Do I detect the start of old age and senility?”

“Watch you words, agent!” Robotnik hissed. “I’m as young and dashing as a high school jock!”

“A high-schooler who repeated a lot of years, sir.” Stone grinned. “I expected the reverse from you.”

Robotnik choked on that.

“How dare you?” He almost hit the precious face of his even more precious assistant. “What are you looking for, Stone, trouble?”

“Sorry, doctor. I guess my old habits start to show up again.” Stone apologized.

“Your old habits consisted in provoking danger upon you?”

“I’ve told you, sir. I used to enjoy to piss off my mom. It often implied fighting with my schoolmates and my neighbors. My… well, skin color and… social background made it easier.”

“Yeah, I would’ve thought so, agent.”

“It didn’t calm down after my mom beat up a doctor to a pulp. More and more people treated us like criminals, like monsters. I don’t think they would’ve acted the same if we had been white. Well, I don’t exactly think, I’m **_sure_ ** of it. The old “terrorist”, “delinquent” slurs and all… Me and my sister Naima, we got involved in fights every day, _several_ times a day. At school, in the street… The fights were so frequent, so violent we got suspended many times from school, even when _we_ were the victims, to then get simply expelled. It didn’t improve my mother’s mood. Or ours. We started to take drugs. Cocaine, meth, you name it. When my mom caught Naima with it, none of them were… very pleased. Naima got fiercer in her fights with virtually all the teenagers, eben some adults, of the town. She was thrown into jail. I got more… lucky. Or just more scared than her of our mother. Eventually, she enrolled in the army. Probably to channel her anger and her aggressiveness. I’ve never seen her again after that.”

“She a soldier, and you a spy for the government. For the same reasons as her, I assume?” Robotnik gently stroked Stone’s hair as he was trying really hard not to explode in tears. How could any man be the sweetest and kindest being ever after living through so much shit?

“Yes, I guess so, doctor.” Stone sighed.

“Wait a minute.” Robotnik’s brain-cogs stuck. “Where was your eldest sister all this time?” His dubitative eyes squinted.

“Roksana? Well, she spent more time in hospitals than at home. She was staying in one when Noor… left. And when it turned too… heated at home, mostly because of me and Naima, our mom decided it was better for her health to move away. Far away. I think she sent her away to Morocco, since Aliyah met her there. Just enough time before her illness took her away.” Stone regretted.

Robotnik thought hearing a low whimper. 

_You brilliant, brilliant doctor! Reminding this sweet muffin of the graphic, early deaths of his sisters! A thousand claps to you, Doctor Robotnik!_ He mentally self-flogged.

“Stone. What do you… think of finding the sick jerk who touched your little sister? And kill him?” Robotnik suggested. He and Stone knew it was easy game for the doctor to find and taking down anyone, anywhere on the planet.

“I… I appreciate the… gesture, doctor, but…” Stone stammered in surprise. “What would be the point? We kill him, then what? It won’t bring back Noor or help all the other girls who put up with the same problems as hers. The most useful thing would be… to drag him before justice. Filming and making public his arrestation, his trial so everyone knows that… the sick shit he’s done can’t and won’t go unpunished. And even so he… he has to admit he has raped and impregnated a young girl years ago, and it’s highly likely he won’t do so. And it was long ago. On an young Arab girl. Do you really think our dear Fed judges and mass media will get interested in that case?”

“I can… _we_ can force him to confess, Stone. One way or another.” Robotnik gloomily implied.

“Sir…” Stone softly shook his head. “If we do that, we may compromise the secrecy of our jobs and our identities. We can get fired. Or worse. I won’t risk that, doctor.” He hugged his doctor tight. 

_Oh Stone. Wonderful, adorable, pure Stone. You always think of other people’s safety before yourself. Even before your own legitimate desire of justice_ . Robotnik softly hugged him back. _To think you’ve lived so many horrors and I just kept on treating you like shit, like the self-centered, clueless dick I am… and you’ve never complained once! I wish I could… erase all the times I’ve-… all the empty threats… the loud yelling and scolding… you really didn’t need all of this shit._

“You can’t at least… give me a name?” He insisted.

“I only knew his first name, Ahmed, and I’m not even sure it was his real name.” Stone replied.

 _Damn. Even when I_ do _want to help someone, I can’t?_ Robotnik lamented. “Let’s get back to your… mom, then. Have you… visited her after you became a spy?” He kept on caressing his docile agent’s hair.

“Not really, sir. Maybe just once in ten years of service.”

“Dear God, Stone. Surely she wanted to see you more often than that!”The doctor softly reprimanded.

“I guess… we weren’t in so good terms when I left home.” Stone explained.

“And your… other sisters?”

Stone wearily sighed.

“Zareen and Aliyah have been avoiding me and Naima since, well… you know what. _They_ wanted to… lay low. And stay silent. Contrary to us two. _They_ didn’t want any trouble. They settled down. Aliyah had gone to live in Morocco. I didn’t know it. She came back just for our mom. When we met, they stared at me as if I was a total stranger to them. They almost called me ‘mister’”. 

“Do you… did you have a… father, Stone?” Robotnik dared.

“He left when me and Roksana were toddlers. My mom, she was pregnant with Zareen, she told us he’d gone to earn money for us. I don’t know if that’s true but… he never came back. He must have died long ago anyway. And no, I don’t have the same father as my younger sisters. He was pretty much the same as my own. We saw him so barely none of us remember his name. He died last year.” 

Robotnik was too lost for words. He just didn’t find any fit term to describe all of Stone’s atrocious woes. But the worst was he was remembering all of his yelling, scolding, blows, abuse on sweet Stone, who had never talked back even once, while this adorable angel had lived every possible horrible shit for a thousand lifetimes.

_I’m sorry, Stone. I’m so sorry! I didn’t-! I didn’t know… I’m so freakingly, so terribly sorry! I never wanted to be suck a prick with you! You never deserved that! I’m sorry! I’m sorry!!_

“Doctor?”

He hugged his latte assistant tight.

“I should have…” He mumbled.

_I should have treated you better!_

“I-I should’ve…”

_I should have behaved nicer with you!_

“I… I should have met your mother!” He exclaimed out of nowhere.

“Wh-what?” Stone scoffed.

“I should have met her, Stone. Sounded like a tough, strong, proud woman.”

“Yeah, she was…” Stone agreed, still feeling weird and miserable to talk about his mother at the past. “Would you have proposed to her?” He giggled.

“What? No! For God's sake agent! You and your… stupid imagination! I just… I just have to know everything about my agents! From their very birth! Manipulating and controlling them is way easier that way.”

“Of course, doctor.” Stone fakely agreed. “But to meet my mother, you should have proposed to _me_ , sir.” He joked.

 _If only I could, Stone. If only I could._ Robotnik regretted.


	9. Chapter 9

“What if… I _want_ to do it? Here and now?” Robotnik dared, nevertheless.

“Uh, wha-? But… I was joking, sir.”

“ _I_ am not.” The doctor asserted.

Stone was puzzled. Why would the doctor _propose_ to him? That’s wasn’t right. But he was dreaming after all. So of course he would dream about his boss proposing to him. 

“Are you… are you sure about that, doctor?” He lowly muttered, his breath cut off and heart beating crazily.

As an answer, his softly smiling boss -he’d never seen Robotnik smile like that- gazed at him with unsure, indecisive yet clearly adoring eyes and stroked Stone’s wet cheek. With a **_gloveless_ **hand! Stone didn’t have to think twice. He rushed at his doctor’s face and kissed him. Messily. But Robotnik said nothing. Didn’t comment it. But had he ever been kissed before? Stone was not sure.

Stone. His pure, innocent, sweet Stone, his _gem_ -stone really, truly loved him! Stone loved him back! It was beyond all explanation, all likeliness, all logic, beyond doctor Robotnik’s intellect! But he loved it! He loved it! He loved _him_! His brain might have shorted out a bit. 

“Oh, sorry sir.” The sweetest assistant ever apologized again. “I didn’t mean to… upset you.”

“Stop being sorry, Stone. I am the sorry one here. The sorry, pathetic loser here. Sorry for not having done that sooner.” The doctor grouched before gently pushing on Stone’s neck and kissing him back.

Right after, Stone softly gasped and, despite all his efforts, burst into tears.

This was the most wonderful dream he’d ever made! Especially when it felt so real!

Robotnik was startled. Confused. Even scared. He didn’t understand. Why was Stone sobbing so bitterly? If he really loved the doctor back, he should be happy, right? He should be smiling, not crying! Maybe… maybe Stone just had realized he wasn’t dreaming and all he’d just lived truly happened and didn’t come from his imagination. Maybe he… he thought the doctor had shamelessly manipulated him to open his heart and confess all of his weaknesses and secrets. So Robotnik could control him more easily. Stone must feel utterly, atrociously betrayed and deceived right now! Oh no, what had he done? What a moron! It was all nice and good, and he had to ruin it all by a stupid, evitable, non-essential, sappy, mushy, selfish kiss!

_You son of a stupid bitch! You massive dork! You brainless asshole! You jerk! You moron! Moron! Moron!!_

“S-Stone, I’m… I’m sorry. I… I didn’t mean… I didn’t want to hurt you…” He anxiously stammered.

“Wh-what?” Stone squeaked.

“I… I swear it wasn’t an act at all! I-It was not to… to blackmail you or control you…”

“What… what are you saying, doctor?”

“I-I say I care… I _truly_ care about you, Stone! I’m truly sorry about… your mother, and your sisters, all the misery you had to live… I-I thought if… if you thought you were dreaming… it would’ve been easier for you. And for me.”

“Wh-what? What do you mean? I’m... I’m not-?” 

It felt like a bomb of bliss blowing inside Stone’s heart.

His beloved doctor being unbelievably, beyond Stone’s wildest hopes and dreams, nice and kind with him. Softly stroking his hair and back. Asking him about his life, his childhood. Listening to him. Patiently and genuinely. Being truly compassionate and gentle with him. Caring for his feelings. Caring for him. Kissing him! Had he reached Heaven just like his mother? If so, she must be the happiest woman of the Afterlife! Because her son was the happiest, most euphoric man of it right now! He covered his mouth to muffle a scream.

“I’m sorry, Stone!” Robotnik freaked out. “I swear my intentions… weren’t malicious. Or interested!”

And NONE of this was a dream! It just had really happened! Stone sobbed harder. His whole body softly trembled. It just couldn’t contain so much joy and happiness.

“I-I don’t want to fire you but… but if _you_ want to leave, I’ll… I’ll understand.” Robotnik sighed.

Stone jumped on him. And hugged him, squeezed him tight. And buried his tearful face into his doctor’s chest. His warm, heart-beating chest. 

“I will never, **_NEVER_ **, never, never, ever, ever, ever, ever leave you doctor! Never!” He sobbed out, shaking and rubbing his face off on Robotnik’s shirt at each ‘never’. 

What? Stone didn’t resent him? Didn’t hate him? He still liked him? Despite everything? That was why waterfalls were currently spilling over his sweet agent’s face?

“You’ve just been… so nice, so gentle, so kind with me, doctor.” Stone wailed in a creaking voice, his eyes already spilling out with tears. “And you meant... you _mean_ it! You actually _mean_ it! So why… **_why_ ** would I want to leave you? I’ve never... expected you to just care about me and… and here you are, hugging me, talking to me, asking about my life and my family, listening, sympathizing with me, willing to fix _my_ problems… and… and now, I… I learn you love me back! How could I… want to leave?? I-I first thought you just… _liked_ me, but-! I love you too, doctor! I **_love_ **you too! So please,... don’t ward me off, doctor. Don’t ward me off!” He desperately implored. “I’ve ever… just dared to dream what has just happened,… and I… I was fine with you… disliking me, as long as you wanted of me… but now I learn… this was not true…” He chuckled through his thick tears. “To think you loved me all this time… and I’ve never seen a thing. I really am stupid.” 

“No, Stone.” Robotnik hugged him back. “I am the stupid one here. _I_ am supposed to be the clever one and I’ve never noticed you… you loved me.” He breathed. “I’ve never noticed, or rather denied, the fact _you_ also had feelings. That _you_ might… have lived unnamable shit like me. _I_ am stupid for keeping treating you like trash, like a slave… while you lived horrible things… while I was, while I’m still… stupidly, madly in love with you!”

Stone sobbed even more. At this rate, he would melt his doctor’s shirt entirely.

“I’m so happy, doctor…” He mumbled. “I’m so happy…” He whimpered.

“And I can’t believe you love a thick, stupid cock like me. I keep abusing you, cursing at you… yet you’re always here for me. Always here to help, to listen, to care… always here when I need you. Always here to remind me of my primal needs, to care about them. To care about me. How can such… a kind, sweet, caring, loving, precious… gemstone like you love a hopeless clod like me?”

Stone soon would run out of tears to cry. Hearing his beloved boss telling him so many kind, so soft, so honey-sweet things was the summum of bliss for him. His heart was going to explode with too much happiness.

“And how…” His voice croaked. “How can you love me… after I… I messed up so many things today… after I… prevented you from sleeping?”

“You’re the reason I can soundly sleep, Stone. I never sleep better than when you do it with me.” The doctor admitted at last. “It’s only fair you… can bother me on a few nights.”

“Wha-? Yo-you mean… all these… “punishments” were…”

“Pure, blank void, Stone. Thin air. Sleeping with you... feels like Heaven…” Robotnik half-grumbled half-wept. “... sweet Aban. Sweet Stone…” He softly nuzzled his assistant’s neck. “Sweet gemstone…” He lovingly whispered.

Now the doctor was calling him cute names?? And he actually loved sleeping with him? So all these sweet, wonderful nights were not… a sham? NONE of he’d just lived and heard was a sham or a lie or a dream? If it was possible to die from pure joy and bliss, Stone could die at any moment now. 

“Doctor, I… I....” His throat was blocked with tears.

Robotnik kissed his forehead.

“Don’t speak, Stone. Don’t speak.” He whispered. “Let’s… stop speaking.” He suggested.

He let his precious assistant flood his clothes and bedsheets.

He still couldn’t believe, despite the obvious evidence, Stone was head over heels for him. The sick, irascible, egocentric bastard who kept yelling at him.

 _Why are you sobbing if you’re happy, you stupid, simple, adorable Stone?_ He mentally cursed as he started to cry himself.


End file.
